KEY POINTS:
Paul Nelson had the sort of day every professional horse trainer dreams about when dominating both feature races at Riccarton yesterday with Just Not Cricket and Just A Swagger.
The Hastings-based trainer drew plenty of satisfaction from the winning performance of Just Not Cricket in the $70,000 Grand
National Hurdles.
The 11-year-old's career was in doubt a year ago after he broke a cannon bone but the master training skills and patience of Nelson nursed the gelding back to the track in June.
Nelson had Just Not Cricket in prime condition for the Grand National Hurdles - a gut-busting 4200m slog carrying 68kg on a heavy bog - on a three-race preparation.
Just Not Cricket indicated he was near peak form with an eye-catching last-start third placing at Paeroa but it is always difficult to gauge the fitness levels of an athlete returning from serious injury.
Just Not Cricket did not enjoy his previous visit to the Grant National meeting a year ago, falling on both days but had no difficulties this time.
Jonathan Riddell was given an armchair ride on the gelding easing down at the finish to score by eight lengths over Wolf Pack with a further length back to Arreviderci (third).
REGULAR RICCARTON visitor Just A Swagger completed the Grand National double for Nelson, waging a home-stretch battle with Nicholman in the $70,000 Open Steeplechase.
Just A Swagger was ridden by Victoria-based Kiwi Brett Scott, one of many outstanding jumps jockeys in attendance at the Canterbury carnival, and this combination scored by two lengths over Nicholman with a massive 28 lengths back to The Mussel Man (third).
Nelson was full of praise for Scott's handling of Just A Swagger, who won the Grand National Hurdles in 2004 and 2005.
"He always tries hard, but he needs to be ridden handy and Scotty did that today with a beautiful ride."
It was Scott's second win in the Grand National. He was aboard Deecee Seven when that horse won the first of his two Nationals, in 1997.
It was redemption for Just A Swagger, who fell in the Koral Steeplechase on Wednesday and twice at the National meeting last year.
The heavy track conditions took its toll on the other three runners. Captain Jingle finished fourth, 57.5 lengths behind the winner, with over 100 lengths back to the fifth placed Dan Moran.
Imanace was pulled up and did not finish.
BUDDY LAMMAS rode 1kg over the carded weight but it didn't stop Ration Point scoring an effortless victory in the $55,000 Christchurch Casino Winter Classic Stakes.
Lammas gave Ration Point a dream sit in third position before challenging the leaders on the home turn.
Momentarily it looked like Jeannot had the opposition in trouble when saving ground along the rail and opening a break on the field but Lammas and Ration Point had other ideas.
Ration Point was clearly thriving in the heavy track conditions reeling in Jeannot and clearing out to score by 9 1/2 lengths. A further 4 1/2 lengths away in third position was Joint Effort.
JUSTAWINS made it two wins from as many starts when unleashing a blistering home stretch sprint to post an easy victory for in-form apprentice jockey Sam Spratt.
The David Miller-trained mare was hooked to the extreme outside of the track with 200m remaining and produced a devastating sprint to reel in the leaders and win by 1 3/4 lengths over Twenty Four Seven at Pukekohe. A short head away third was Kollegi.